Crocosmia

Jim,
C potsii and masoniorum are VERY hardy in the UK. so that means that in the
ground they will happily go to -20 C. C aurea is not hardy even in mild
winters for most of the UK. My C aurea is now kept indoors for the winter.
So I expect the yellow hybreds will be more tender.
Lucifer and what is loose in the West of Scotland as C paniculata- which is
probably missidentified, are not as hardy in colder parts of the UK in pots,
though no trouble even in colder spots in the ground. I have never managed
to grown Chasmanthes here though I think some may have been in my fathers
garden which was much milder. It may be I did not treat them correctly.
They are quite easy from seed. Many hybreds are very stoloniferous which
means INVASIVE, but not all.
I had never heard of virus in crocosmia before but I see that there has been
a debate here before. I have to agree with Alberto that if I am suspicious
of a plant -It goes.
Peter
On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at 6:44 PM, J.E. Shields <jshields@indy.net> wrote:
> Alberto raises many interesting topics! Combine the warning below with his
> comments on toughening up Rhodophiala montana with a few generations in
> cultivation (raising them from seed), and we have a roadmap for getting
> more Crocosmia into our colder climate gardens.
>
> Someone should start growing them from seed. You will probably have to
> treat them the way I treat almost-hardy crinums here in Indiana: Start the
> seed in pots, grow for a few years under protection (at least in winter),
> and only then move the seedling plants out into the garden beds.
>
> Only one Crocosmia has persisted in my garden here: one of the two distinct
> clones that I received as 'Lucifer'. the one with larger flowers proved to
> be winter-tender after 3 or 4 years here. The second clone, with more but
> smaller flowers, has survived on down through the years, both planted in
> 1999. They went directly into the garden upon receipt. Both had the same
> brilliant red color in their flowers.
>
> Other Crocosmia tried here (their names are forgotten now) survived up to a
> couple years before disappearing, but all others are gone save this last
> 'Lucifer'. It's time folks in the Midwest took it upon themselves to breed
> hardier Crocosmia hybrids. Who else will do it?
>
> Having retired from the plant business, I'm not going to dig and ship
> samples of this hardy plant. But feel free to stop by my place for a
> visit; maybe I'll let you dig a piece of it for your garden.
>
> Jim Shields
>
> At 05:26 PM 6/26/2011 +0000, Alberto wrote:
>
> >In any case, keep your newly introduced plants away from your other ones.
> >Several Crocosmia cultivars are heavily virused that is most evident in
> >the flowers. You will not want to introduce into your valuable collections
> >a virus that affects irids .......
>
> *************************************************
> Jim Shields USDA Zone 5
> P.O. Box 92 WWW: http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
> Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
> Tel. ++1-317-867-3344
>
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